Pronoun Reference and Shift. When Mr. Shockey forwarded the funny YouTube clip about FOX News to Mr....

Pronoun Reference and Shift


When Mr. Shockey forwarded the funny YouTube clip about FOX News to Mr. Hudson, he laughed to himself and forwarded it to Mrs. McCanna.



Who “laughed to himself”?




Mr. Shockey or Mr. Hudson?




Mr. Shockey or Mr. Hudson? Who is he?


Problem: A pronoun makes an ambiguous reference if it can refer to more

than one antecedent.


Problem: A pronoun makes an ambiguous reference if it can refer to more

than one antecedent.

Solutions: (1) Replace the ambiguous pronoun with a noun

(2) Revise the sentence entirely


When Mr. Shockey forwarded the funny YouTube clip about FOX News to Mr. Hudson, he Mr. Hudson laughed to himself and forwarded it to Mrs. McCanna.


When Mr. Shockey forwarded the funny YouTube clip about FOX News to Mr. Hudson, he Mr. Hudson laughed at the funny YouTube clip about FOX News from Mr. Shockey and forwarded it to Mrs. McCanna.


Ambiguous: When Sarah texted Elke about her

homework, she was still at work at the Anthracite Museum.


Ambiguous: When Sarah texted Elke about her

homework, she was still at work at the Anthracite Museum.

Clear:Elke was still at work at the Anthracite

Museum when she received a text about her homework from Sarah.


Ambiguous: When the NASCAR drivers waved to the crowd of toothless, intoxicated fans, they cheered with excitement for the opening of another season.


Ambiguous: When the NASCAR drivers waved to the crowd of toothless, intoxicated fans, they cheered with excitement for the opening of another season.

Clear:The crowd of toothless, intoxicated fanscheered with excitement for the opening of another season when the NASCAR

drivers waved to them.


Problem: If an antecedent is only implied or is vague, then the meaning of the

sentence can be unclear.

Solutions: (1) Replace the pronoun with an appropriate noun(2) Revise the sentence entirely


Vague:Recently they discovered a cure for

American laziness; it’s called a job.


Vague:Recently they discovered a cure for

American laziness; it’s called a job.

Clear:Recently they doctors discovered a cure

for American laziness; it’s called a job.


Vague:Let’s get a gelato at the ice cream shop next to Prince Street Café. It’s

supposedly terrific!


Vague:Let’s get a gelato at the ice cream shop next to Prince Street Café. It’s

supposedly terrific!

Clear:Let’s get a gelato at the ice cream shop next to Prince Street Café. I hear the

flavors are terrific!


Vague:Mr. Sterner said that the bone test will

be easy in Anatomy and Physiology, which surprised me.


Vague:Mr. Sterner said that the bone test will

be easy in Anatomy and Physiology, which surprised me.

Clear:I was surprised when Mr. Sterner said

that the bone test will be easy in Anatomy and Physiology.


Problem: Pronouns should not be used to refer to a possessive.



Error:In Michiko Kakutani’s “The Word Police,” she explores the irony of political correctness.



Solution:In Michiko Kakutani’s her article

“The Word Police,” she Michiko Kakutani explores the irony of political correctness.


Problem: A sentence is unclear when there is an unexpected shift in number or person between a pronoun and its antecedent.



Error shift:I told my friend how I hate my

English class because you have to read every night.



Solution:I told my friend how I hate my

English class because you I have to read every night.


Error shift:Whenever someone asks me about the grammar class I took with Mr. Marsh, I always tell them that it was hard but I

learned a lot.


Solution:Whenever someone asks me about the grammar class I took with Mr. Marsh, I always tell them him that it was hard but

I learned a lot.


Solution:Whenever someone asks me about the grammar class I took with Mr. Marsh, I always tell them him her that it was hard but I learned a lot.


Solution:Whenever someone asks me about the grammar class I took with Mr. Marsh, I always tell them him her say that it was hard but I learned a lot.

Pronoun Reference and Shift. When Mr. Shockey forwarded the funny YouTube clip about FOX News to Mr....

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